Terrorist claims absurd, says accused’s wife
The wife of Andre Hanekom‚ the man accused by Mozambican authorities of being one of the leaders of a jihadist group in northern Mozambique‚ says her husband is innocent.
Francis Hanekom said “influential people” wanted to implicate her husband in a crime as they desired her husband’s property on the beach in Palma‚ northern Mozambique.
Francis was responding to a news report on New Year’s Day that Mozambican prosecutors had named her husband and two Tanzanians as leaders of a group established to create instability‚ prevent the exploitation of natural gas in Palma and later create an independent state.
Andre has been living in Mozambique for 25 years where he is a businessman. His family maintain that his arrest in August‚ when he was shot‚ was unlawful.
A petition was launched calling for his release.
Mozambican prosecutors claim that Andre was responsible for the group’s logistics‚ including payment of monthly salaries equivalent to $160 (R2,305) and for the provision of medicines.
Machetes‚ arrows and gunpowder were allegedly found at his home. In a Facebook post on Tuesday‚ Francis said the accusations were absurd.
“The police confiscated insignificant normal stuff from my house‚ and use this as proof that Andre is a terrorist‚” she said.
“Seriously. Did they take pangas [machetes]? Every home in Mozambique has a panga, it is used for tasks in and around the home.”
Francis also questioned the accusation that Andre offered the group medical assistance.
“Three syringes‚ for the purpose of inoculating our goats‚ two bottles of expired vitamin tablets and my saline for the asthma nebuliser is proof of supporting terrorism?”
She said the salary mentioned was the amount one of his workers received.
“It turned out that he was an inside informant to disclose Andre’s position on the day he was shot.”
Francis said she had proof of this‚ and that the worker had been dismissed.
“Did they find arrows? I advise people not to buy art from street vendors.
“Four years ago I made the unfortunate ‘mistake’ of buying two bows and arrows from Mozambicans in an impoverished town. They sell it as a means of income.”